US569156A - Fish-plate - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE JOHN L. HITE, OF JOl-INSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

FISH-PLATE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,156, dated October 6, 1896.

Application filed April 29, 1896. Serial No. 589,508. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. HITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at J ohnstown, in the county of Oambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fish-Plates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rail-splices.

My object is to provide an improved, simple, and efficient rail-splice which can be easily applied and serve to properly connect the ends of the rails without necessitating the employment of bolts of any variety.

Having these objects in view, my invention consists of certain novel features and combinations, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an end elevation showing the invention in use; Fig. 2, a side elevation, and Fig. 3 an end view showing the manner of applying the rail-chair.

An ordinary T-rail is designated by the letter A as being provided with the usual head or tread 1, web 2, and base 3.

13 represents my improved rail-chair. This chair is provided with a flat base 4:, the upper seat 5 of which is of the same width as the rail-base 3, and on which the latter rests when in position.

The numerals 6 and 7 designate square longitudinal parallel recesses, which extend the entire length of the chair-base. Integral inwardly-curved retaining- flanges 8 and 9 proj ect upwardly from the chair in the manner shown. The rail-chair is of such a length that it will fit in easily between adjacent ties.

O and D represent duplicate splice-bars or fish-plates. The inner faces of these fishplates conform to the web and inclined upper faces 3 of the rail-base, while their outer faces are suitably curved to correspond to the curve of the inner faces of the retaining-flanges of the chair. The lower portions of these fishplates terminate in downwardly-projecting lips 10 and 11, having fiat lower faces that lie substantially in alinement with the face of the chair-seat 5. These fish-plates are considerably longer than the chair and have their ends resting on adjacent ties, between which the rail-chair is situated.

I employ two square keys 12 and 13 of suitable size to be properly received in the recesses of grooves 6 and 7, and are adapted to be wedged in tightly between the bottoms of these grooves and the lips 10 and 11. These keys are slightly longer than the rail-chair, so that their projecting ends can be turned down, as shown, to prevent their longitudinal displacement.

The invention is applied as follows: The ends of the rails having been properlyjuxtaposed, the rail-chair is manipulated as shown in Fig. 3, where dotted lines show its final position.

keys driven home and their ends clamped down, as shown. The rails will then be firmly held together. No bolts or other fastening devices need be used in connecting the ends of the rails together, but I sometimes prefer to provide the chair with spike-holes to receive the spikes that fasten it to the ties. These are not necessary, however.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a rail-splice, the combination with rails, of a rail-chair on which the rails rest and which is provided with longitudinal recesses, in the upper face of its base, said recesses being located adjacent the edges of the base-flanges of the rails, the rail-chair also having retaining-flanges, fish-plates held between the retaining-flanges and the rails,

The fish-plates are then slid in position longitudinally of the chair and the and keys wedged in the recesses between the fish-plates and the rail-chair, substantially as described. a

2. In a rail-splice, the combination with rails, of a rail-chair on which the rails rest and which is provided with longitudinal recesses in its bottom, and also has retainingflanges, fish-plates held between the retainin g-fian ges and the rails, said fish-plates having their lower ends located immediately above the longitudinal recesses of the railchair, and keys wedged in the recesses and having their ends bent down against the ends of the rail-chair.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib-,

ing witnesses.

JOHN L. I-IITE.

Witnesses:

FRANK. H. SINGER, ALEX. N. HART.

Images